Telecom operator Vodacom Tanzania will gain access to an additional 10GB of capacity to improve the quality of its voice and internet services across the islands of the Zanzibar archipelago. The company will be able to leverage government-owned fibre optic infrastructure and submarine cables to achieve this.
The company signed an agreement with the Zanzibar Communication Corporation (ZICTIA) last week. “This development is not just about ensuring faster internet speeds, it is aimed at driving digital transformation in Zanzibar. It is designed to empower local businesses, improve e-government services, support e-learning initiatives and much more,” the telecom operator said.
The additional capacity is expected to enable Vodacom Group’s Tanzanian subsidiary to better meet the needs of its existing subscribers in Zanzibar while expanding its customer base, strengthening its position in the domestic market. According to official data, the archipelago had about 1 million mobile phone subscriptions as of December 31, 2024, for an estimated population of 1.89 million.
Zanzibar represents a growth opportunity for Vodacom, especially as the number of unique subscribers is likely to be lower, with some people having multiple SIM cards, each counted as a separate subscription.
As of December 31, 2023, Vodacom had 26.32 million P2P (person-to-person) subscriptions according to data from the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA). This represents a market share of 31%. The company is closely followed by Yas with a market share of 30%. This is followed by Airtel (23%), Halotel (14%) and incumbent TTCL (2%). Vodacom also controls 54% of M2M (machine-to-machine) subscriptions.
Source: Extensia
